1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a patterned layer on a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, methods for manufacturing a patterned layer on a substrate include a photolithographic method and an ink-jet method.
The photolithographic method is described as below: applying a photoresist layer on a substrate; exposing the photoresist layer using a photo mask with a predetermined pattern and developing the exposed photoresist layer to form a predetermined patterned thin-film layer. Thus a large part of the photoresist material is wasted and the efficiency is low. This increases the cost.
The ink-jet method uses an ink-jet device with at least one print head for depositing ink into a predetermined position on a substrate structure. A patterned layer is formed after solidifying the ink. Generally, for an area of the substrate structure is larger than a covering area of the print head, the print head of the ink-jet device move relatively in a matrix manner with the substrate to finish depositing the ink on the substrate.
The ink jet method is different from the photolithographic method. In the ink jet method, each of R, G, and B ink is sprayed onto a substrate from respective nozzles of print heads to form a color layer. When the ink jet method is employed, the required amount of ink can be applied onto a required place at a specific time. Accordingly, almost no ink is wasted. Furthermore, since the sub-cells of R, G, and B can be formed simultaneously, the coloring time is reduced, and it is possible to markedly reduce cost.
Referring to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, a substrate 120 is shown. A plurality of banks 122 are formed on the substrate 120. The plurality of banks 122 and the substrate 120 cooperatively define a plurality of accommodating spaces 124 therein, and the accommodating spaces 124 are arranged in rows and columns on the substrate 120. To more thoroughly describe the structure of the accommodating spaces 124 arranged on the substrate 120, an x-axis runs horizontally and a y-axis runs vertically as shown in FIG. 14. Rows of the accommodating spaces 124 are arranged in the direction along the x-axis. Columns of the accommodating spaces 124 are arranged in the direction along the y-axis. A distance between every two adjacent rows of the accommodating spaces 124 is d.
Referring to FIG. 16, a print head 900 includes a plurality of nozzles 902, 904. A distance between the nozzle 902 and the nozzle 904 is d. Firstly, the nozzle 902 moves along a first path 312 in the positive direction along the x-axis (moving to right hand side seen in the drawing), when ink is discharged toward the substrate 122 from the first nozzle 902. Secondly, the print head 900 moves in the negative direction along the y-axis (moving downward seen in the drawing). The moving distance of the print head 900 is d. Finally, the print head 900 moves in the negative direction along the x-axis (moving to left hand side seen in the drawing). However, when the nozzle 904 repeats the same moving line of the nozzle 902, the ink is discharged from the nozzle 904 and overlapped with the ink discharged from the nozzle 902 in previous printing in the same accommodating space. Since the inks is always discharged in the same printing line in the same accommodating space 124, it is difficult to diffuse uniformly before drying, such that a thickness of the patterned layer on the substrate is not likely to be uniform.
What is needed, therefore, is a method for manufacturing a patterned layer on a substrate with a uniform thickness.